Why did the Rehoboth Basters settle south of Windhoek?
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The Rehoboth Basters settled south of Windhoek in the late 1860s primarily to escape increasing pressure from Boer settlers in the Cape Colony.1
Seeking to maintain their independence and autonomy, they migrated north into what is now Namibia. In 1870, they resettled the site of Rehoboth, a former mission station that had been abandoned in 1864 due to drought, famine, and conflict. By establishing this community, the Basters were able to preserve their distinct identity and Western way of life as a fiercely independent group.12